


Here Comes the Sun

by FandomLifeTookMyHandAndSaidRUN



Category: The Walking Dead (TV), The Walking Dead - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Friendship/Love, Kindred Spirits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 21:32:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3825802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomLifeTookMyHandAndSaidRUN/pseuds/FandomLifeTookMyHandAndSaidRUN
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in season 5, after Grady Hospital but before Alexandria.  Tara takes it upon herself to learn a little more about Daryl Dixon.  Beth and Noah are still alive, but not featured in this story.</p>
<p>Inspired by the recent photos of Norman, Lauren, and Alanna together in Washington, DC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Here Comes the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> I really love the picture that Alanna shared on Instagram of her, Lauren, and Norman. They're like three cutie-pie peas in a pod! So I was inspired to write up this little diddy. Nevermind that I have three other stories that need tending too... oops! :)

“So, you and Carol, huh?” Tara nodded at Daryl as she sat herself down cross-legged next to Daryl. 

He was seated by the fire, looking melancholy staring off into space.  Nobody else was really feeling particularly chatty and he was one of the few in the group that she had not yet had any real conversation with.

“Me and Carol, what?”  He pulled his knees up, draping his arms across them, fiddling with a jasper in his hands.

“You two are together, right?”  She leaned forward, with her elbows on her knees.  She was picking at the remains of her dinner, which was a random stew of various canned foods that found along the way.

“Kinda personal question, ain’t it?”  He leaned back against the hay bale he was sitting in front of, tossed his hair out of his eyes.  “What’s it to you?”

“Hey man, just curious is all.  I see the way your eyes follow her all the time when she’s not looking.  She does the same to you.  But you’re nothing like Abe and Rosita, or even Beth and Noah.” She gestured Abraham and Rosita, the two who were currently forehead to forehead deep in conversation periodically while making out.  Beth and Noah were off in the corner in each other’s arms fast asleep.

“Ain’t living no damn romance novel, prefer to keep my private shit private.”

Tara threw her hands up in submission, “I hear ya, dude!  I just don’t see Carol looking attached to anybody, and y’all seem to be buddy-buddy.  You swing another way or something?”

“’scuse me?”

“You gay?  Again, not insinuating anything, just making conversation.”

“Do all yer conversations involve twenty questions?” he growled at her.

She scoffed, “What’s wrong with taking an interest in the world around me, and the people I spend time with?”

He nodded, “That’s valid.”

“So, you got eyes for anybody in particular?”

“Got my eyes on everybody.”

“Dude, vague much?” her voice taking on an exasperated tone.

He huffed, “Is this ‘need to know’? What’s it got to do with anything?”

“Nothing at all, just learning about the people around me.”

“Everyone you see here?” he gestured around to the group surrounding them within the barn.  “They’re all family.  Family ain’t just ‘bout blood.  They got my back, I got theirs.”

Tara nodded, looking around at each and every other person in the barn.  Most were curled up with their packs attempting to get some sleep, others, like her and Daryl, were huddled together talking low.

“You love ‘em?”

“Course I do.”

“Carol, in particular?”

He sighed, rolling his eyes and stretching his legs out in front of him.

“Course I love her.  Got a lot of similarities…”

“Gosh, Daryl.  She looks like a housewife with a closet badass.  You… look all motorcycle gang, and ‘grrrr!’” she made a monster face and clawed up her hands. “Forgive me, but I am not seeing what ‘similarities’ you are referring to.”

He paused, lips pressed in a grim line, thoughtful but not wanting to divulge information that wasn’t his to share.

“I’ll keep it simple then.  In one word, scars.”

Tara took a moment to respond, but then nodded, looking down at her feet.  “It’s a bond.”

“It’s more than that,“ he gave her a half smile.  “We just relate to each other.  I can be a real dick sometimes, even said some unforgiveable shit to her face once, but she stood her ground.  She don’t take shit from anybody, neither do I.  Yeah, I love her.  Always will.  I mean, it’s Carol.”

“You ever act on it?”

“What? No.  I ain’t the type to grab her up in my arms, dip her, and kiss her in the moonlight.  I doubt she sees me that way anyhow.  And have you seen the world out there?  Who’s got the time?” He winced at the thought, it’s a post-apocalyptic world, the last thing anyone should be doing is getting distracted and dropping their pants.  What was this girl thinking?

Tara giggled, “It’s just nice having a heart that feels full.  Sometimes it takes having a special someone in your life to feel that way. To be complete.”

Daryl gave her a sidelong glance, but just nodded.

“Hey, I dare you.  No, I double dog dare you…”

“Oh, what in the hell, girl?” he growled at her, “Am I going to like where you’re going with this?”

“Ah, can’t resist a dare, can ya?” she grinned, that shit eating, eyes lit up like Christmas type grin

“Within reason…” he huffed.

“I dare you to hold Carol’s hand.  I won’t make you go push her up against a tree and take her in the moonlight or anything, thought I’d be game for having an eye on THAT action.  Next time she’s sitting by you, just reach out for her hand.  That’s all.”

“That’s it?” 

“That’s it!”

He shook his head, “Alright.”  He shrugged, her dare seemed simple enough.

Almost as if summoned, moments later Carol joined them by the fire, seating herself on the other side of Daryl.  Daryl’s eyebrows went high as he looked to Tara, she grinned wide and nodded her head and tossing a wink his way.  His eyes dropped to his hands in his lap, he was still fiddling with that jasper stone he had found along their route there to the barn.  He had to work up the nerve to make his next move as per Tara’s dare, but Carol beat him to it. 

“What do you have there?” she asked, pointing to the stone in his hands.

“This? Um, just a jasper stone I found.” He tried his best to keep his voice nonchalant, but it was almost a full octave higher than normal.

“It’s very pretty!” She smiled, leaning back on the hay bale next to him.

“Here,” he said, holding it out to her.  “I want you to have it.”

She pursed her lips and smiled at him again, taking it gently from his hand. She held it up to see it better in the firelight, “Thanks, pookie.”

“Really brings out the color of your eyes,” he mused quietly.

Carol let out a little giggle, and bumped her shoulder to his.  After a few moments of her marveling over the stone, she let her hands fall to her lap.  She kept the stone in one fist, rubbing it like a worry stone.  She stared quietly at the fire, watching as the flames slowly died down.  Daryl felt a toe tap him on the calf, it was Tara.  When she had his eye, she cocked her head in Carol’s direction, and mouthed “Do it!”

He rolled his eyes back at her, and turned back to the fire.  Looking sidelong towards Carol, he saw her hand closest to him was free.  He had nothing in his hands now to occupy them, and he needed to do something with this nervous energy.  So, slowly, he reached his hand out to hers.  He took it in his, clasping it gently.  She turned to him with a happy but confused look on her face, he gave her a half smile and just shrugged.  She smiled wider, then scooted closer leaning into him placing her head on his shoulder.  A few moments later, she leaned up and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.  He followed suite by pulling her hand up to his mouth and kissing it.  He put it back in his lap, with his other hand over top, rubbing small circles on her hand.  She hummed in acceptance.  He leaned his head over onto hers.  They sat together, legs stretched out before them, together from hip to ankle.  Daryl’s eyes closed, he couldn’t think of a time that he felt this comfortable.  His chest tightened, yet felt so full for the woman cuddled up to him.  He heard a movement beside him, and saw Tara standing up.  She gave him two thumbs up, and wandered off to her pack to turn in for the night.

“What was that all about?” asked Carol, quietly.

“Nothing, she was just trying to prove a point.”

Carol pulled her head away so she could see his face, “what point was that?”

“Two is better than one.  Ain’t complete ‘til you got your better half.”

“Oh?” she gave him a questioning look.

“And I got mine, right here.”  He smiled back down at her, and kissed her forehead.

Carol snuggled in a little tighter.  She threw her arm around his waist, dipped her head into his neck closing her eyes.  “Me too.”

 


End file.
